Cancer study in the IS department
Guilford County is studying the prevalence of cancer in the Information Services department, and held a meeting last week with employees to give an update on the ongoing study.
There does not appear to be a higher rate of cancer in the department than in any other community group at this point, according to the Guilford County Department of Public Health.
Several cases of cancer have been reported in the IS department, the area of county government charged with handling the computer, software and technology needs for running the county. There does not appear to be any links between the cases, according to Mark Smith, an epidemiologist in the health department who is studying the situation.
A normal cancer rate is about 7 cases per 100 people. The rate in the IS department, based on information Smith has received, is about the same. And there are several different types of cancer among the reported cases, which would further stretch any links among them.
But the study is incomplete, he said in a meeting with the department last week, because not all the surveys have been turned in.
County Manager David McNeill said he's not yet ready to make a call on whether the IS department is facing any higher incidences of cancer or not.
"I’m going to wait until the findings are complete," he said, "and then the findings will be presented to the employees in the area."
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